System, method and apparatus for mobile fish cull tracking and management and smart device interface

Abstract

A Fishing Competition Management and Administration (FCMA) system includes communications and cull management capabilities. The FCMA system includes an angler-based system and an event organizer-based system. The angler-based system is based on a weigh scale and set of cull floats or markers for attachment to each caught and retained fish. The culling product includes the weigh scale and a set of six culling devices, each culling device has a different color. As a fish is caught and weighed, the Culling or Weight Scale will signal to a colored culling float in or outside of the live well. The culling scale determines and stores the weight associated with that particular-colored float and will properly record the weight next to the proper weight color on the screen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fish weighing and data collection system comprising:
 a transportable fish weighing device adapted to be field deployable for remote use on watercraft, the fish weighing device comprising:
 a weighing component configured to measure the weight of a fish; 
 a processor configured to execute instructions; 
 a memory configured to store data and instructions executable by the processor; and 
 a first communication component configured to wirelessly communicate with a cull device set and to wirelessly communicate with a mobile device; 
   the cull device set comprising one or more cull devices, each cull device from the cull device set comprising:
 an attachment component configured to attach the cull device onto a fish in a fixed but removable manner for intended detachment from the fish; 
 an indicator adapted to distinguish the cull device from an other cull device from the cull device set; and 
 a second communication component configured to wirelessly communicate with the fish weighing device; 
   wherein the fish weighing device measures and stores in the memory the weight of each fish attached to respective cull devices from the cull device set; and   wherein the first communication component is adapted to establish a wireless connection with a mobile device and generate a signal to transmit weight information representing the measured weight of each fish attached to respective cull devices stored in the memory.   
     
     
         2 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  wherein the first and second communications components are configured to communicate using IoT technology. 
     
     
         3 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1 , wherein the fish weighing device comprises a load cell or weight sensor configured as an analog-to-digital converter, and wherein the fish weighing device measures and stores in the memory the weight of each fish caught and communicates stored information through one or more of Internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, IoT, NFC, RF or other wireless connectivity to one or more communicatively connected devices. 
     
     
         4 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 3  wherein the communicatively connected devices include one or more of computer, smart phone, connectable wearable device, fish finder, mobile computing device, or other integrated technologies. 
     
     
         5 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  wherein the fish weighing device processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory and compare, based on the stored fish weight information, relative weights of fish associated with respective cull devices and to generate a signal representing an identification of a fish in a live well to be culled in place of a newly weighed fish. 
     
     
         6 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  further comprising a visual display adapted to present to a user information related to the system. 
     
     
         7 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  wherein the first communication component is adapted to transmit collected and stored fish weight information to a database. 
     
     
         8 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 7  wherein information is communicated to a mobile device operating an application adapted to receive data from the fish weighing device and is communicated to the database via the mobile device. 
     
     
         9 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 7  wherein the database collects information and generates records associated with a plurality of users, and wherein the collected information includes culling activity from each user. 
     
     
         10 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 7  wherein the database is configured to publish collected information via a remotely accessible hosted service, and wherein access to the hosted service is account-based. 
     
     
         11 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 10  wherein the database is operated on a computer configured to provide a “Leaderboard” functionality application available to interested parties. 
     
     
         12 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  wherein the fish weighing device records GPS information associated with a location of each fish caught and associated with a cull device. 
     
     
         13 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  further comprising a mobile application configured to be operated via the mobile device, to receive data from the fish weighing device, and to communicate with a remote database. 
     
     
         14 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  wherein the fish weighing device and the cull device set are configured to be waterproof and comprise a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         15 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  further comprising a water temperature sensor adapted to be disposed in a live well with one or more fish each having an associated cull device attached thereto and emit a signal representing a sensed water temperature, and wherein the fish weighing device or the mobile device is adapted to receive the signal from the water temperature sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The fish weighing and data collection system of  claim 1  further comprising a ph sensor adapted to be disposed in a live well containing fish with attached cull devices, wherein the fish weighing device is adapted to receive a signal from the ph sensor and to determine an alkalinity level of the live well water. 
     
     
         17 . A method for collecting and storing fish weight data, the method comprising:
 measuring, by a transportable fish weighing device, the weight of a fish, and generating a signal representing measured fish weight data;   storing, by a memory in the transportable fish weighing device, the measured fish weight data;   wirelessly communicating, via a first communication component of the transportable fish weighing device, with a cull device set;   attaching the cull device onto a fish in a fixed but removable manner for intended detachment from the fish;   wirelessly transmitting a signal, via a second communication component of the cull device, to the fish weighing device, the signal comprising a set of data representing measured fish weight data; and   wirelessly connecting with a mobile device and generating a signal to transmit weight information comprising the weight of each fish attached to respective cull devices stored in the memory.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 comparing, by a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory of the fish weighing device, based on the stored fish weight information, relative weights of fish associated with respective cull devices; and   generating a signal representing an identification of a fish in a live well to be culled in place of a newly weighed fish.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 capturing and storing GPS information associated with a location of each fish caught and associated with a cull device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising transmitting a signal representing measured fish data from the fish weighing device to a mobile device via an application running on the mobile device.